Our strength is your involvement | | |
Hello...
Welcome to your weekly social care news curated by OACP
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This week:
- OACP
- ICB CHC payment progress
- Tri-County Conference
- ASC Workforce strategies and initiatives
- CAA | Focus on Workforce webinar
- Local
- REMINDER | UKHSA Webinar on acute respiratory infection (ARI) outbreak reporting
- and more
- Trusted Assessor Service
- Are you making use of this FREE service?
- Digital
- Understanding patient data
- Analogue to Digital
- International Recruitment
- Inexorable rise in revocations
- National
- GASCD | call out to NIs and RMs
- HSE | Review of the PPER 22: surveys for employers and limb (b) workers
- and more
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Thames Valley ICB | UPDATE for delayed CHC payments
Thank you for the individual updates on your ongoing challenges regarding delayed payments - this has slowed so we assume that there are generally fewer providers waiting. We continue to challenge the ICB for updates and progress. Sadly, communication is significantly lacking on this front.
We would like to know whether you still have unpaid debts.
- Are you still owed significant amounts?
- Are current debts AND historic debts being paid similtaneuously?
- Are payments made in a timely manner with no follow up required by you?
- Do you get satisfactory remittance?
Please remember that the only escalation route that Thames Valley ICB is using is via this Microsoft Form. We have requested for a confirmation email to go every supplier who submits a query by this route; currently you only get a screen confirmation message.
Please use this route if you have ongoing concerns about non-payment, or have critical business issues due to non-payment.
If this does not prompt payment, please tell us if your business is facing significant stress due to non-payment.
We will treat all responses discreetly, sharing only with the ICB in escalating a payment request.
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Tri-County Conference | Addressing Challenges, Celebrating Successes
Booking is open for OACP Members to the first Tri-County Conference delivered by OACP, BCPA and BCA.
An invitation was sent out this week.
See here for the programme
General booking starts on 8 September.
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ASC Workforce strategies and initiatives
Whilst we await the publication of of Oxfordshire's ASC workforce strategy, OACP has published a series of webpages covering Government plans. We will be adding to this in the coming weeks to identify the specific work going on in Oxfordshire and what will be useful in making a difference to local recruitment.
Check out the index page for more information before booking on the webinar below.
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CAA | Focus on Workforce webinar
- Wednesday 16 September 2026
- 10.00am – 11.30am on Teams
Focus on Workforce is a practical webinar for care providers, workforce leads, care associations and registered managers, delivered by CAA in conjunction with Skills for Care and IPSOS.
The session will explore the workforce issues currently affecting adult social care, with a focus on the Skills for Care Workforce Wellbeing Survey, available training, development and funding opportunities, and ways to support young people into care careers.
It will provide useful insight, share current opportunities and create space for discussion about what providers need now, and what future workforce support should look like. The webinar is designed to help organisations stay informed, connect with others across the sector and contribute to building a stronger, more supported and sustainable care workforce.
Book your place here
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Enterprise Oxfordshire | a message on Phishing emails
EO have become aware of phishing emails in circulation that falsely claim to represent Enterprise Oxfordshire or Enterprise Oxfordshire Business and suggest that data is being offered for sale. These emails appear to be targeting Oxfordshire businesses.
These messages have not been sent by Enterprise Oxfordshire. If you receive an email of this nature, please do not engage with it. Instead, delete it immediately and, where possible, report it to your IT security provider or internal IT team.
Enterprise Oxfordshire would never misuse your data. They have robust systems and protocols in place to ensure that all information is managed securely and in compliance with the UK's GDPR requirements.
If you have any concerns or would like to verify the authenticity of a communication, please do not hesitate to contact EO at business@enterpriseoxfordshire.com
| | Citation | HR mistakes that lead to tribunals (and how to avoid them) | | |
Citation's most recent webinar HR mistakes that lead to tribunals (and how to avoid them) was hosted by legal expert Gill McAteer. | | | |
Gill covered:
- The most common missteps in common HR processes such as flexible working applications, probationary and disciplinary dismissals and grievance processes
- Practical steps to reduce your risk
Watch the recording
If you're with OACP Partner Citation feel free to call Citation experts 24/7 on 0345 844 4848* or you can email hradvice@citation.co.uk for Employment Law queries and one of the team will be happy to help.
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OACP Member Area update
Latest updates...
In the NHS section
- DHCT and insurance briefing
- DHCT Tiers and Tasks matrix
In the Data section
Local wages summary
- May 2026 analysis with 12 month tracker
- Sponsored workforce full analysis
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REMINDER | UKHSA Webinar on acute respiratory infection (ARI) outbreak reporting tool for nursing and residential care homes
- Wednesday 2 September at 2 pm
Find the link on OACP's training list
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Oxfordshire County Council | Outcome of consultation on charges for some Adult Social Care services
The changes agreed are:
Disability Related Expenditure
The standard Disability Related Expenditure allowance will reduce from 35% to 25%. This is the level that was in place before April 2022.
Adult Social Care transport
A flat charge of £10 per day will be introduced for transport arranged by Adult Social Care. This does not include transport to school.
Telecare services
People who use telecare will be charged the actual cost of the service, which is £9.87 per week.
After considering the consultation feedback, the Council’s Cabinet has agreed to make the changes listed above. These changes will come into effect from 5 October 2026.
These changes will help the Council use its budget fairly, so Adult Social Care services can continue to provide sustainable care and support to people in Oxfordshire.
What happens next?
No current care recipient needs to do anything now.
Not all of these changes will affect everyone in the same way. The Council will write to affected people in the next eight weeks to explain exactly what these changes mean and the services used. The letter will also include information about where people can get advice and support. This may include support from Oxfordshire County Council or from an independent organisation.
Any questions in the meantime, contact :
Phone: 01865 323642
Email: financialassessments@oxfordshire.gov.uk
| | The Oxfordshire Trusted Assessor Service provides support Monday - Friday at the John Radcliffe Hospital and The Horton and now at all Oxfordshire Community Hospitals which have impatient beds. | | |
We take referrals on:
- local authority funded care home placements
- self-funders seeking a care home placement
- self-funders seeking a home care package
- complex local authority funded home care packages
To contact the Service:
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email oacp.taoxon@nhs.net
- Valerie Jarvis 07864 686 552
- Rachel Adams 07860 371 099
- Genna Manock 07594 781 730
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Are you making use of this FREE service?
- Thorough, unbiased assessments for individuals in hospitals needing ongoing care
- A single point of contact for care providers in Oxfordshire, so you don't have to deal with multiple people for updates
- Assistance with discharge planning to make sure a patient can go home safely and on time
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Digital Care Hub | Understanding Patient Data
For anyone thinking about data, digital transformation, trust and care this is a hugely useful piece of work: detailed, nuanced and focused on how people actually feel.
The report looks at public confidence in the use of health data at a time when the system is changing quickly. Public support remains high - often exceeding 85% - but confidence is conditional and cannot be taken for granted.
Read more | LinkedIn
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openreach | Analogue to Digital
Analogue phone lines switch off in six months’ time, affecting any service or device that currently plugs into the existing analogue telephone wall sockets.
You can find more information about this change and its implications for services and for individuals here, including a special factsheet developed to support the Telecare industry.
Download the factsheet
| | Your support to overseas recruitment | | Sponsorship licence revocation continues with three more Oxfordshire providers having their licence revoked or suspended in July making a total of eight in Oxfordshire in 2026 (affecting 297 workers) and 118 providers in the south east over the same period (3,300 workers). Please continue to use resources and advice available through SESCA. | | |
GASCD | call out to NIs and RMs
Nominated Individuals and Registered Managers from all care home providers and all small and medium home care providers (with between 11 – 200 people being supported) to take part in an interview to discuss DHSC’s new digital service, Get Adult Social Care Data (GASCD).
An offer of £75 payment to compensate for time spent in an interview (up to 1 hour).
If you would like to take part or have any queries, please email GetAdultSocialCareData.team@dhsc.gov.uk including:
- Name of your organisation and your role
- How many people your organisation supports and how many staff you employ (to help us understand the variety of organisations we are interviewing)
- Your availability for an hour interview over the next 4 weeks (starting from 21 August)
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HSE | Review of the PPER 22: surveys for employers and limb (b) workers
HSE is carrying out a review of the Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (PPER 22).
The 2022 Regulations extended employers’ and employees’ duties regarding personal protective equipment (PPE) to limb (b) workers.
Under employment law in the UK, the definition of a worker has 2 parts:
- Limb (a) describes employees who work under a contract of employment.
- Limb (b) describes workers who generally have a more casual employment status and work under a contract for service, such as freelance couriers, casual agency staff, and some zero-hour contract staff in the gig economy.
HSE are gathering the views of businesses that engage limb (b) workers and those workers themselves to understand how the Regulations are working in practice and whether they continue to meet their intended objectives.
Surveys close at 11:59 pm on 18 September 2026
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NECS | Changes to Capacity Tracker on Tuesday 1 September 2026.
Question Amendments - Seasonal Flu Vaccination – new
Flu vaccination questions will be reintroduced to capture Autumn/Winter 2026/27 data for:
- Care Homes
- Residents
- Staff
- Agency/bank staff
- Home Care providers
- Staff
These changes will be seen in:
- Provider update pages
- Bulk templates
- API data feed
Reporting amendments - Vaccination Report
To coincide with the reintroduction of the flu vaccination questions, the Vaccination Report will be added back into the Reports menu in late September to enable users to analyse vaccination data for Autumn/Winter 2026-27.
System updates - Capacity Tracker system downtime
The Capacity Tracker system will be unavailable from 3:00pm to 6:00pm on Wednesday 2nd September to allow for scheduled system maintenance.
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UKHSA | Winter vaccines toolkit and resources now available
The winter vaccines communications toolkit for stakeholders – produced jointly by UKHSA and NHS England – supports communications and public health professionals to promote winter vaccines including flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
It contains key messages, statistics, FAQs and resource links, information on how to order leaflets and posters, and social media assets.
It is available for download via the Campaign Resource Centre, alongside a range of resources to explain the value of winter vaccines, who is eligible and how they can get their vaccines. This includes range of new and updated assets to help explain the eligibility criteria for the flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines, which we encourage stakeholders to use on your channels.
For further information about the national vaccine campaign and communications please contact: externalaffairs@ukhsa.gov.uk (UKHSA) or england.vaccinations-screening-communications@nhs.net (NHS England).
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Care Association Alliance | our big family
We are part of the largest national care association, the Care Association Alliance, with over 6,000 members across England as members of over 50 local care associations.
This informs us of current concerns, we can source potential solutions on behalf of you and it helps inform our local communications.
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Consistent, quality information
We mail out once a week on a Wednesday, so you know when to look out for it.
These updates provide summary advice on emerging issues and signpost providers to Government and other statutory agency advice as needed.
Reminder
We are always keen to hear from YOU. If you have anything you would like to share with provider colleagues, please send to the usual address.
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OACP is partnered with the Institute of Health and Social Care Management to provide development and networking opportunities for managers.
If you would like to take advantage of your OACP Membership offer with IHSCM, please contact us for your password to access their services.
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IHSCM have put together a quick promo video for you just giving a bit of an introduction to your FREE membership with IHSCM.
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ALL managers who work for you will be able to access these opportunities for free.
If you're not sure if your organisation is eligible as an OACP Member, please contact us.
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OACP Member offers | OACP works with the following suppliers to bring you market insight, quality products and expert advice.
Contact them today...quote 'OACP'
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A specialist law firm with extensive experience in Corporation, Immigration and Compliance Law. Aston Brooke is well placed to support care providers navigating the complexities of UKVI immigration laws and sponsorship compliance.
They also offer an invaluable opportunity for clients to access expert legal guidance, ensuring their ongoing compliance and sustainability in an evolving regulatory landscape.
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One platform
Complete care management
Confident compliance
If you’re reviewing your systems or thinking about how to make compliance more sustainable, this may be well worth exploring and we invite you to get in touch with CareLineLive.
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Whatever your goals, Citation will help your business to succeed with unrivalled HR and Health & Safety support and expertise for small and medium-sized business.
10% off your first contract as an OACP Member.
Find out more
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Flourish provide part funded online care training to support care providers in Oxfordshire.
Part-funding is provided by Oxfordshire County Council.
Find out more
Staff using the training can take advantage of a significant range of discounts and offers with Flourish Rewards.
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Gather provide cost-effective insight and engagement solutions.
Gain quick and easy feedback from your residents, NOK and employees, instantly analysed and accessible to help you confirm what you are doing well, and identify areas to strengthen your business.
Simple and effective engagement tools assist with new hire/apprenticeship evaluations, staff assessments, worker voice, and employee well-being. Giving you a stronger workforce, making recruitment easier, reducing absence and retaining staff.
Find out more or email team@wegather.info
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